DESCRIPTION: The application seeks support to partially underwrite the 3rd Hinman Student Research Symposium, to be held November 6-8 in Memphis, Tennessee. The Symposium will be composed of: scientific sessions with oral and poster presentations of research projects by dental students and graduate trainees participating in dental research; awards for the most outstanding presentations in clinical and laboratory research; informational exhibits; a reception and a welcoming banquet with a nationally known speaker; opportunities for interactions among the student participants; and entertainment and opportunities for individual exploration in Memphis. The aims of the symposium are: to recognize, encourage, and reward student achievements in dental research; to provide students with the educational experience of preparing a research presentation and presenting to an audience of their peers; to facilitate learning about new directions in dental research and the many different areas of current research interest; to promote interactions among outstanding students from across North America; to encourage outstanding students to consider careers in dental research and academic dentistry; to involve outstanding students in a focus group for the NIDR to obtain information on new research initiatives and new directions in dental research and educational policies; and to increase the awareness of students entering the dental profession of the methods, scope, and importance of dental research. The overall objective of the Hinman Student Research Symposium is to help raise and maintain the quality of dental research and education in the United States.